Compaq hooks up with AltiGen

Compaq seeks to plug holes in its product lines and service offerings for specialized market segments.

7 September 200211:45 am AEST

Compaq Computer today announced a sales and marketing alliance
with AltiGen Communications as the PC maker continues to beef up its
services business.

The agreement is one in a series of recent deals, where Compaq seeks to plug holes in its product
lines and service offerings for specialized market segments, such as
telecommunications, manufacturing, and finance.

Compaq also wants to step up its commitment to the Internet, as emphasized
last week by new chief executive Michael Capellas during the second-quarter
earnings announcement. The AltiGen
agreement would allow the Houston-based PC maker to deliver voice-over-IP
services to its customers.

Voice-over-IP is a technology for delivering telephone
service over computer networks and the Internet. AltiGen also provides
standard, server-based PBX solutions, which Compaq will offer as well.

Compaq is targeting the program at small and medium-size businesses and
corporate branch offices of up to 150 people. It will be available on
ProLiant servers and also ProSignia, Compaq's line of small-business computers.

This follows an announcement on Monday when Compaq said it entered into an
agreement with Candle to port its Roma
technology to its "Tru64" Unix and Windows NT operating systems. Roma is a
middleware solution that allows software applications to communicate across
disparate systems.

Both agreements fall under Compaq's NonStop E-Business framework, the
umbrella for the company's enterprise and Internet offerings.